← DISCOVERY / CATHINONE

Cathinone

(S)-2-Amino-1-phenyl-1-propanone

Principal stimulant alkaloid of khat (Catha edulis). Closely related structurally to amphetamine, acting as a releaser of dopamine and norepinephrine. Unstable post-harvest — degrades to less potent cathine within days, which is why khat is chewed fresh.

stimulant
Chemical structure of Cathinone
Structure · Wikimedia contributor See Wikimedia
THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE

The molecule, in space.

Atoms positioned in their lowest-energy 3D geometry, sourced from PubChem. Drag to rotate · scroll to zoom · switch between stick, sphere, and line representations to feel the shape from different angles.

3D structure · PubChem CID 62258 · drag to rotate · scroll to zoom
SMILES NOTATION
C[C@@H](N)C(=O)c1ccccc1
PubChem CID 62258 →
RECEPTOR PROFILE

The pharmacological targets through which this compound exerts its effects.

Dopamine releasing agentNorepinephrine releasing agent
NATURAL SOURCES

Living organisms in which this compound is naturally found.

Catha edulis (Khat)
plant
Afrotropical
Catha edulis
Khat

Evergreen shrub of the Horn of Africa and Arabian Peninsula whose fresh leaves are chewed for the stimulant alkaloid cathinone. The compound is highly unstable — leaves must be consumed within days of harvest, which has shaped a vast same-day distribution economy.

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REFERENCES
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